School me on binos

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Looking for a good pair a binoculars for use out on hikes and at the range out to a hundred yards or so. I am pretty much set on the Leupold Bx-1 Mckenzie 12x50, with a good tripod to go with them at the range. Anyone have any experiences with these?
 
For hiking, I would get a much smaller set of binoculars, like 8x32. For shooting, a spotting scope would be much more appropriate. Most spotting scopes have higher magnification, like I think 20x and more.

I personally wouldn't want to carry a 12x50 when hiking.
 
I already have a 20-60x spotting scope, the binos would be used more for viewing from summits. I know that 12x is right on the cusp of being a little unstable for hand held use, but I figured they’d be a bit less of a burden on the range, especially since i’m not typically shooting really long range.
 
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I already have a 20-60x spotting scope, the binos would be used more for viewing from from summits. I know that 12x is right on the cusp of being a little unstable for hand held use, but I figured they’d be a bit less of a burden on the range, especially since i’m not typically shooting really long range.

I usually get to summits around 10am-2pm. In other words, during peak daylight, where 50mm objective lenses are largely unnecessary.

Even 10x40, 10x42 would be significantly lighter and easier to carry than 12x50s.

In my mind, the purposes of hiking and seeing things at a range are just too divergent. Hiking requires light weight and compact with using hands for viewing. Range requires high magnification and stability via using a tripod.
 
I usually get to summits around 10am-2pm. In other words, during peak daylight, where 50mm objective lenses are largely unnecessary.

Even 10x40, 10x42 would be significantly lighter and easier to carry than 12x50s.

In my mind, the purposes of hiking and seeing things at a range are just too divergent. Hiking requires light weight and compact with using hands for viewing. Range requires high magnification and stability via using a tripod.
I hear ya. Like I said, I already have a spotting scope so I guess I am looking for a “jack of all trades” pair of binos for my first pair. Seems like 10x might be a good fit. My cousin just picked up some Vortex Diamond back hd’s in 12x50 and while very clear, they did seem a tad bit shaky when viewing nearby mountain peaks from the cabin. I didn’t get enough hands on use to make a definitive decision of whether they were or were not too much for hand held use.
 
Steve Rinella wrote a pretty solid article on the topic of binoculars. I'm pretty sure there's a video version too if you look on his YouTube channel
 
I hear ya. Like I said, I already have a spotting scope so I guess I am looking for a “jack of all trades” pair of binos for my first pair. Seems like 10x might be a good fit. My cousin just picked up some Vortex Diamond back hd’s in 12x50 and while very clear, they did seem a tad bit shaky when viewing nearby mountain peaks from the cabin. I didn’t get enough hands on use to make a definitive decision of whether they were or were not too much for hand held use.

The typical, general-purpose binocular is 8x42 because its a balance of weight, objective lens size (in other words low light performance), and magnification. 8x magnification also doesn't have issues with hand shaking. 10x magnification has something of a problem with hand shaking, so usually, 8x is recommended over 10x for people who are new to binos.

Another thing is glass clarity. What I notice often is that people go for higher magnification on lower end optics in exchange for glass quality. They save money by buying lower quality glass and compensate by buying too much magnification.

When hiking, you're going to be tired, sweaty, possibly hungry/thirty, and either standing up or sitting outside in the elements. Meaning, your hands are going to shake more than if you're in a cabin or sporting goods store. So, if you notice shaking being a problem indoors and when you're relaxed, it'll become more of a problem when you're tired.

While eye strain would be a problem if you use an 8x set of binos for a long time, if you're just looking at peaks and the surrounding land, you're probably not going to be glassing for long. And you can just put the binos down. So, I wouldn't worry about straining your eyes by using a lower magnification binocular to look at something.
 
Steve Rinella wrote a pretty solid article on the topic of binoculars. I'm pretty sure there's a video version too if you look on his YouTube channel
I’ll give that a read, thanks.


The typical, general-purpose binocular is 8x42 because its a balance of weight, objective lens size (in other words low light performance), and magnification. 8x magnification also doesn't have issues with hand shaking. 10x magnification has something of a problem with hand shaking, so usually, 8x is recommended over 10x for people who are new to binos.

Another thing is glass clarity. What I notice often is that people go for higher magnification on lower end optics in exchange for glass quality. They save money by buying lower quality glass and compensate by buying too much magnification.

When hiking, you're going to be tired, sweaty, possibly hungry/thirty, and either standing up or sitting outside in the elements. Meaning, your hands are going to shake more than if you're in a cabin or sporting goods store. So, if you notice shaking being a problem indoors and when you're relaxed, it'll become more of a problem when you're tired.

While eye strain would be a problem if you use an 8x set of binos for a long time, if you're just looking at peaks and the surrounding land, you're probably not going to be glassing for long. And you can just put the binos down. So, I wouldn't worry about straining your eyes by using a lower magnification binocular to look at something.

So would you say that generally, glass quality trumps magnification?
 
I’ll give that a read, thanks.

So would you say that generally, glass quality trumps magnification?

Because you'd be glassing surrounding landscape more than focusing on a target to shoot at, e.g. a deer, also consider binoculars oriented towards bird watching. Hunting binos have slower, stiffer focusing adjustments because watching a deer move through the forest involves fine, precise, slow focus adjustments. Bird watching binos have faster focus adjustments because birds fly and there's no concern about having to wait for the perfect shot.

When you compare binoculars with equal magnification, the binocular with superior glass quality will have better clarity and perception. There's less distortion around the edges. So, if you were to compare two 8x binoculars, Good Glass Brand and Mediocre Glass Brand, always go with good glass over ok/mediocre/poor glass quality because good glass creates a clearer, better view. And "glass quality" also includes things like coatings on the lenses that protect the lenses, seal the binocular from water/humidity, and improve image perception.

Even on old, used, and abused binoculars, better glass quality wins out - like this:



 
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For carrying with me when out on a walk I have a pair of Leupold BX-1 Rogue 10X25 compact binoculars. They are extremely small and light, so they are easy to throw in a pocket. For their size they perform pretty well in decent light (no twilight). What I like about them is they’re always there when I want to check something out a little closer. I’d only carry something bigger when I was specifically going out to bird or something like that. As small and as lite as they are, I don’t have too much of a shake problem with them. And they’re only $100.
 
8x42 binos are best for general use. Higher magnifications are tough to keep steady images unless they are mounted on a tripod, monopod, or trapezoidal mount.

There are image stabilization binos by Canon that are great. I use their 10x42 binos for most daytime use. They are quite expensive though.
 
I have a pair of Nikon Monarch 8x42. Very crisp, probably about as big as you want want to hike with. As mentioned by Stockwell, any higher mag would be difficult to hold steady.
as always, results on binoculars vary a lot. like scopes - you can go from $20 to $2000.
kids were bothering me quite a bit ago and i got this set - first link - and, surprisingly, it is not much worse than low grade nikons. i was looking for most compact form factor, obviously, a prism one would be better, but, they are wider.
these chinese cheapos have 0 quality consistency, but, if you get a working sample it may actually be more than good enough.
View: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B083ZJSY42
View: https://www.amazon.com/SkyGenius-Powerful-Full-Size-Binoculars-Sightseeing/dp/B01MQVXHUM


do not bother on any of those to see targets on the range - for that - this celestron is actually pretty good:
View: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002CTZ70
 
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I've been a big fan of Vortex. I spent years with crappy goggles. My dad had a pair of binocs in the 70's that he got used from some guy. Sears. Freaking Sears! Today he uses some throw-away fold up ones. Guess what he is getting for Father's Day. LOL

I've got a set of Talon 8x32 (I think) on my desk at work - overlooking Mt Hope Bay. Daughter in the lobby has a set of Diamondback 10x42. 2 oz difference. Not much bigger. A bit longer is all. (1#3 vs 1#5oz)

At the lake I've got an 8x from a forgotten manf. It was one of those perfect storm moments. This Chinese company was trying to get a wedge into the US glass market. They happened to use EXCEPTIONAL glass in this one set of binocs. F&S did a test and mentioned that these things came in 2nd place but were a fraction of the cost. Beat out a pile of other competitors at higher ends.

Sadly, I believe the quality from the company has gone down and the cost up. This was 10-12 years ago I got them.

That Leupold is a nice price. But it's almost 2# in weight. And they are probably pretty large. Without looking through them, I couldn't tell you if they are worth it or not. I will say the current-version Diamondback 10x32 are not only higher resolution, they are a bit clearer than my 5-6yr old 8x32 Talons.

$230 for the Vortex. Lighter and might be better glass.
 
I'd suggest taking a look at any of the Steiner binoculars based on their 8x30 Military/Marine. They've put different versions of this size frame out with various options over the years, and they all share the characteristics of being big enough to hold and stabilize easily, while being quite light for their size and not being a budget breaker. I've had mine for I'm guessing 15 years, and if I lost them tomorrow I'd buy another pair.

Military-Marine 8x30

mm830-h_1.png


Not the Nighthunter version - the laser rangefinder they added is a nice setup, but is significantly heavier.


ETA: Keep an eye on samplelist.com That's SWFA Optics site for selling returns, trade-ins and demos.
 
I’d like to keep it under $250
as always, results on binoculars vary a lot. like scopes - you can go from $20 to $2000.
kids were bothering me quite a bit ago and i got this set - first link - and, surprisingly, it is not much worse than low grade nikons. i was looking for most compact form factor, obviously, a prism one would be better, but, they are wider.
these chinese cheapos have 0 quality consistency, but, if you get a working sample it may actually be more than good enough.
View: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B083ZJSY42
View: https://www.amazon.com/SkyGenius-Powerful-Full-Size-Binoculars-Sightseeing/dp/B01MQVXHUM


do not bother on any of those to see targets on the range - for that - this celestron is actually pretty good:
View: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002CTZ70
Thats actually the exact Celestron I have. Does all I need, but I would most likely upgrade if/when I get a long range bolt gun.
I'd suggest taking a look at any of the Steiner binoculars based on their 8x30 Military/Marine. They've put different versions of this size frame out with various options over the years, and they all share the characteristics of being big enough to hold and stabilize easily, while being quite light for their size and not being a budget breaker. I've had mine for I'm guessing 15 years, and if I lost them tomorrow I'd buy another pair.

Military-Marine 8x30

mm830-h_1.png


Not the Nighthunter version - the laser rangefinder they added is a nice setup, but is significantly heavier.


ETA: Keep an eye on samplelist.com That's SWFA Optics site for selling returns, trade-ins and demos.
Thanks, i’ll keep an eye on that website. I read Steiners are awesome for the money.
 
Thats actually the exact Celestron I have. Does all I need, but I would most likely upgrade if/when I get a long range bolt gun.
yeah, up to 200yds it is great, at 300yds - so-so, barely ok-ish with bright splash targets, beyond that - not for my eyes.
 
8x42 binos are best for general use. Higher magnifications are tough to keep steady images unless they are mounted on a tripod, monopod, or trapezoidal mount.

There are image stabilization binos by Canon that are great. I use their 10x42 binos for most daytime use. They are quite expensive though.

Ive been wondering if I should get stabilized binos cause the stabilization I’ve experienced on camera lenses is pretty cool.
 
vortex vulture 15x56 if you are real lucky you can find a sale for $350 like i did otherwise $500. you can find diamondbacks for $350
 
yeah, up to 200yds it is great, at 300yds - so-so, barely ok-ish with bright splash targets, beyond that - not for my eyes.
I can't speak to the other brands of IS binoculars, but I've used the Canon 10x42 and 15x50 models, and they are excellent. The optics are clean and the image quality is great, especially the 10xx42s. The 15x50's are a nice astronomy binocular. There are definitely less (and more) expensive brands out there, but as I mentioned, I don't have any experience with them.
 
For 'decent' quality in the $300 range I have:
Nikon Monarch 3 in 10x42
Zeiss Terra ED in 10x42

They're really good and I use them all the time for bird (and people, lol) watching. But when you look thru my Leica Trinovid's in 8x32 the difference is amazing.... However, these are probably in the range of 5x more :)

Anyway, if I had to do it over I think I would have gone for the Monarch 5's (or even the 7's) for a few dollars more since, unless you really abuse them, these things will really last a lifetime so pay a little more now and save yourself an upgrade later.
 
Binos is a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France
 
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